keeping your cool

If mummies not happy babies not happy. I think it is important to find ways of keeping yourself happy as the whole family seems to be effected depending on mothers mood! I know its not always easy to 'be happy' sometimes you may need a few ideas here are some please add your own I need ideas too.
1)Ask partner/friend if they will look after baby/children for you for 1/2 hour each night so you can have personal time to relax or take a walk try to make this the same time each night so you,baby and partner get into a routine. try to get completly away so you won't be tempted to 'help out' baby and partner will be fine for 1/2 hour.
2)The housework can wait! don't stress yourself out trying to have a perfect house you are far better off to have a happy baby and a happy mother!
3)Keep life simple you don't need to attend all family/friends gatherings and other events try to stay at home as much as possible and allow yourself and baby to establish a routine friends and family can come to you!
4)EASY MEALS make sure to eat well but have a supply of easy meals on hand for the times where 'it just doesn't happen' there are plenty of quick meal ideas - frozen stir fry vegetables&sauce just out chicken/pork pieces and noodles. When you get a chance prepare extra meals to freeze these can be life savers!

let me know what you think! and add your own ideas I'd love more easy recipes.

I agree. When I am stressed and tired (nearly always!) I find it hard to maintain control and not yell. My husband is just about to deploy overseas for 6 months which will be a challenge as we are 3000km away from family asistance. I am planning to do batches of cooking and freezing a lot of meals or parts of meal as the evenings are a nightmare in our house if we aren't organised. Because my 20 month old has a lot of allergies, there is very little I can buy that is premade. I think there will be a lot of relaxing of rules in the next 6 months.

If you like to talk to any one just Email me on JohanneChambers@bigpond.com and love to talk about any thing you like...........

I read somewhere here a tip that I have always liked! Get partner or good friend to look after children for a few hours ( if possible) once a week! Use the time to do the main housecleaning than an hour to yourself for whatever!
I'm still dreaming of having my whole house clean at one time!

With a very busy 3 year old (which one isn't) and a 3 month old I find myself quite busy. Still being in my pyjamas when my husband got home and feeling frazzled got me more down, so something had to be done! Suffering from post natal depression doesn't help either, but one thing I found was finding the time (even just 10 minutes) to have a relaxing and SLOW shower without having to hurry or be interupted. My husband gets up at 5am for work and Bub feeds about then. If she hasn't already, I will get her up quietly and offer her a feed. It gives me a chance to spend one on one time talking with my husband before work. After settling her back down once he leaves, I get in the shower (with baby monitor in the room just in case) and have a shower. This is MY time before they both wake up for the day and even if I am tired, I feel great afterwards. If I am really tired, I jump back in bed, but at least I have started the day off feeling clean, happy and relaxed.
With regards to easy cooking. Whenever I cook anything that involves a sauce base I make sure I do at least enough for two or three nights and just freeze the extra sauce protions. Then on those HECTIC days, I just heat up the sauce and a pot of pasta or rice and it's done. You are still getting the advantage of a home cooked meal with fresh ingredients without the work. After all if you take the time and effort for one portion, it's not that hard to do enough for two or three.
Hope this helps.

you sound as if your under conrol at your house ive a 6 week baby . joshua, and it seems all i ever do is feed change and burb etc i let him stay awake after the feed and when he looks grizzly and showing the signs i rock him to sleep . but i cant put him the cradle. he falls asleep in my arms and then i transfer him to the rocker for an hour sleep and then when he wakes up i play with him until his feed . i hope im doing the right thing as ive tried everthing to get him to his cradle for a sleep trying to keep my sanity at the same time!!

marie

I don't know how old your youngest is, but I have found these helpful:
1) Express breastmilk into a bottle and have hubby do the feeding every now and again;
2) If you can time it alright, I like to go for a 20 minute walk around the block (with baby);
3) Make double for a meal (e.g. a casserole or shepherd's pie), cook it in two dishes and freeze one. This means only one lot of cooking for two meals;
4) My favourite is a hot bath (with salts) or shower. Either hubby looks after the baby or once while she was happy playing by herself, I wheeled the bassinet into the bathroom so I could keep an ear out for her. She loves having baths so she was cooing to the wallpaper, absolutely no problem!!! lol

I have a 21 month old as well as a 4 week old. My 21 month old goes to daycare once a week. Not only does she love the social interactions and activities, but it also gives me a bit of a break for a day.
A BBQ chook is a great meal with some simple vegies. It's also nutritious and easy to pick up while you're at the shop.
USE DISPOSABLE NAPPIES!!!!! smile